Shoppers have been heaping praise on Tesco for introducing a subtle new ‘white envelope’ scheme that aims to tackle period poverty.
With the number of people struggling to afford basic sanitary products sadly thought to be soaring amid the rising cost of living crisis, several UK retailers and supermarkets have introduced different initiatives aimed at supporting shoppers who need it most.
After a 2017 study by Plan International revealed that one in 10 girls can’t afford to buy menstrual products, and one in seven has struggled to access them in the past, the charity Actionaid has claimed that 12% of women in the UK are currently thought to be affected by period poverty.
Even though changes were made to the UK’s tax system back in 2021 to make it so sanitary products were no longer classed as luxury items – which affectively made them cheaper – this still didn’t make it possible for everyone who needed them to access them, especially as the problem spiked and became increasingly more prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Charity Bloody Good Period says it has been supplying six-times as many menstrual products compared to before the pandemic.
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Shoppers praise Tesco for subtle ‘white envelope’ scheme available in all UK stores / Credit: Erica Steeves (via Unsplash)
It was in part due to these shocking statistics that lead Morrisons to introduce its Ask For Sandy scheme, which encourages to shoppers in need to ask for “a package for Sandy” to receive free sanitary products, and it’s also what’s lead Tesco to follow suit.
Signs have been put up in the toilets at branches of the supermarket retailer nationwide urging customers to make use of its subtle ‘white envelope’ scheme.
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“To combat period poverty, Tesco want to ensure everyone has access to sanitary products,” one sign said. “If you are in need, please go to the customer service desk and ask for a white envelope. No questions will be asked.”
Shoppers have been praising Tesco for the move on social media.
Hi Naill, thanks for getting in touch. To answer your question, yes this is correct, all a customer needs to do is to ask at our customer services and there will be no questions asked, it's in a effort to tackle period poverty as they are given free of charge. TY – Ian
Responding to one customer who asked about the scheme on Twitter last week, Tesco revealed that to get a white envelope, “all a customer needs to do is to ask at our customer services and there will be no questions asked.”
They added that the scheme is, in fact, in “an effort to tackle period poverty” as the envelopes are given to customers free of charge.
Featured Image – Tesco
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Home Bargains has announced a special two-day closure of all UK stores
Emily Sergeant
Home Bargains has, once again, announced it’ll be closing all its UK stores on both Boxing Day and New Year’s Day this year.
And it’s to make sure staff get a ‘well deserved break’.
After what has been yet another busy year for the retail industry, many workers have been left feeling like they could do with a little extra time off, which is why Home Bargains is following on with what has become a now-annual tradition by shutting up shop on two bank holidays.
All of our stores will be closing for Boxing Day & New Years Day.
Announcing the move in a post on social media, the discount retailer confirmed: “All of our stores will be closing for Boxing Day and New Years Day. We would like to thank all our colleagues for how hard you have worked this past year, and want you to relax and enjoy the Christmas break with your loved ones.”
Of course, this isn’t the first time the retailer has kept its doors shut on bank holidays.
Many shoppers will recall it has made the same decision to give hardworking staff a break every year since 2019.
Explaining a little more about the decision taken to close all its stores, Home Bargains said: “As a family-run business, we know the importance of being together at Christmas with those we care about most, now more than ever.
“This is our way of saying thank you to our colleagues for their continued hard work and dedication.”
Featured Image – Geograph
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Two Greggs in Manchester will be serving their breakfast menu in the evening next week
Emily Sergeant
Who says breakfast has to end at 11am?
In news that’s set to be music to the ears of breakfast lovers in Manchester, Greggs is giving them exactly what they want.
We all know that brunch is a ‘thing’ by now, so now it’s time for brinner to make a name for itself instead, as Greggs has teamed up with Heinz to bring its much-loved breakfast menu back for tea time, kicking off from 4pm onwards.
The move comes as a new survey has found that the majority of Mancs (69%) admit to enjoying eating breakfast food in the evening, saying it’s ‘convenient and comforting’ – even ranking breakfast as a ‘more important’ meal than tea, as well (38% vs 36%).
Two Greggs in Manchester will be serving their breakfast menu in the evening next week / Credit: Greggs (Supplied)
Greggs says it has ‘lost count’ of the amount of customers that have tried to order breakfast items after the usual cut-off time, especially in Greater Manchester.
But luckily for those breakfast-loving Mancs, they can finally get their favourite breakfast and sauce pairing long after the morning rush is over next… but only at two Greggs branches, and only for a very limited time.
On Wednesday 14 and Thursday 15 October, the Heinz x Greggs Brinner collab will be available at Greggs St Mary’s Gate and Greggs Oxford Road, from 4-7pm only.
“We’ve lost count of the number of customers who have tried their luck ordering breakfast after 11am, so when Heinz came to us with the idea of making Brinner a reality, it felt like the perfect excuse to give the people what they want,” explained Zoe Harris, who is the Customer Director at Greggs.
“And let’s be honest, a Greggs Bacon Roll just wouldn’t be the same without a squeeze of Heinz Tomato Ketchup.”
Emily Sergeant -
28th February 2023 
